Cafe Mirror
362 Washington St, Brighton, MA, 02135
Cafe Mirror Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Brighton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Brighton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Brighton for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
362 Washington St
Brighton, MA, 02135 - Phone (617) 779-9662
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Dave F.
Cafe Mirror is a good spot to get an omelet for a very reasonable price. The egg dishes are delicious, and the french toast isn't bad as well. The atmosphere is typical of a small diner. However, the coffee is pretty terrible, and served in styrofoam. Even coffee snobs should ask for cream and sugar. Not the best brunch in Boston, but it doesn't advertise as such. It's a nice diner, and it's cheap. If you're in Brighton Center around breakfast time, this is a great option.
(3)Bill G.
This is a family run business, with great muffins, donuts, bagels, and pastry. Their sit down breakfast is slow and ok. Support a locally owned business and enjoy a fresh made donut.
(4)Caitlyn D.
Great coffee! It was very tasty, not watered down, and just the right amount of milk. They also had a lot of different flavors to choose from if you are so inclined to order flavored coffee. And those donuts-definitely worth getting! I ordered a full breakfast as well (a greek omelet), and I was definitely satisfied. A good, cheap place to come for a Sunday brunch!
(5)Mary C.
Oh. My. GOD. I LOOOOOVE this place. It's my failsafe Sunday place. The western omlette is the best and the waitstaff knows you after 2 or 3 visits. My only beef is with the schoolyear influx of douchebags. I don't want to watch your awkward breakfast of shame in a party dress and heels while I eat my breakfast...but whatever...i guess it comes with the territory.
(5)A Z.
I ordered a turkey sandwich here... it was not good, to put it nicely. Cheap, but not worth it... at all. Why is it so hard to find an edible sandwich in the Boston area!!??
(1)Eve L.
Feh. It's pretty mediocre. Great location, for a greasy spoon in Brighton I'd go to Brighton Cafe on Comm Ave. The food is of equally mediocre quality, both places are pretty grungy and dive-like, but Brighton Cafe is much cheaper. The donuts at Cafe Mirror look delicious, but they're from Twin Donuts, so you can just go around the corner and get those from the source.
(3)Matt R.
While this place has great donuts and muffins it lacks the speed, customer service and amazing iced coffee of it sister owned restaurant Brighton café. Overall it still fits the build of a local diner, but if I had to choose I would visit brighton café.
(4)Anthony C.
Cafe Mirror, Thanks for always being so nice and welcoming to me and my mom everytime we come in there. Fresh donuts, hot coffee, service with a smile, and you can watch all the traffic mess that is Brighton Center. Only minor drawback is no parking, so walk there! Go now!
(5)Julia F.
Good Croissants, good ice coffee, I'm pretty sure they serve meals here too, but I've always been at work and only had enough time and money for a pastry and coffee. Someday I want to go back and get a full meal, or at least try something other than a croissant or a muffin. The ladies who work there have always been really nice to me, and I have never had to wait more than like 2 minutes to get my stuff and leave. The place looks clean and cared about - otherwise I wouldn't really be interested in setting foot in there.
(3)Catherine S.
Woof. Can't say I'm a fan. It sounds like other positive reviewers did their take-out options, so this review may not be accurate if you're considering that. But we went here to sit down for breakfast one day and really didn't like it. I had a spinach and feta omelette that was dry and bland, and some hash browns on the side that were drenched in some spice that tasted horrible with the potatoes. The service was also horrible; the woman was just sitting there doing nothing when we needed to put in our order, and later, get our bill. Overall just a bad experience; considering the great location, I wish it was better!
(1)Olivia C.
The Mirror will do you an egg and cheese. Consistently cooked properly and neatly; Real egg and cheese on buttery, fresh croissant. Fresh bread is an important element to this sandwhich. I don't even need my usual ketchup though hot sauce might be nice... Mmmm hot sauce. Easily my fave. egg and cheese. I don't even consider the corporate marketed microwave egg anymore. Just don't get the bagel. Not sure what the bf was thinking getting this New Yorker some bread substance that was parading as holy. Humph! Anyway, the Mirror is owned by a fast, genuinely friendly, reliable Asian family that lives in the area. I have friends that are regulars and are rocking the diner bellys. I think it may be better than other greasy spoons of the Greek variety in nearby Allston. The Mirror is in Brighton, Allston's older, more chill cousin. The mirror has huge fresh IN-STORE made donuts to share! I am not even a "donut person" but woooaah. I actually can't think of another place to get freshly made donuts! Legend has it that Dunkin Donuts used to make them fresh in Quincy but here in downtown Brighton you can skip the ubiquitous New England partially-hydrated-chemical corn-syrup DD. How could anyone go to DDs with this quality loving immigrant mom and pop to support?! According to the locals, The Mirror has better breakfast than the nearby Twin Donuts, which is actually owned by the same family. Gotta love the sky-high vintage sign. These diners haven't changed for a long time and there is something special about that... Thankfully, the place has good local brew Green Mountain coffee, and I have always had it fresh. Also, quality iced coffee here, not that watered down farce at you-know-where. Diners don't have to have swill! I am usually a black regular coffee drinker but I have been turned on to the fun, fun coconut coffee, vanilla something, and others for a treat. Don't be afraid to turn the corner and support local biz, your wallet, and your heart-belly. If you are in the area; breakfast all day--Reflect on The Mirror.
(4)Nick D.
I like this place. Not because of the amazing food or the overly friendly service. It really doesn't have either to the max. No, I like this place because it is comfortable, it is easy, the food is consistently solid and the service quick and efficient. And really, after waking up with a hangover all you want is just a plate of good food in front of your face as soon as possible with as little chit-chat as possible. At least, that is what I want. So that is why I like this place. It is comfortable, quick, and really cheap. Again, after a night of drinking, the last thing I want to do is put down double digits for breakfast. And if you want to know anything about me, it's that I can eat a lot. And not because I can, but because it really takes that much to satiate my hunger. At McDonalds, I put down $20 for a single meal. So Cafe Mirror is a welcome change at less than a hamilton. I get the turkey club, or one of the combos with french toast. I have heard the ice coffee in the gigantic styro cups is pretty good too. I especially like the hashbrowns with syrup and butter. Go there, eat there, leave happy and less hangovery.
(3)Ryan F.
This place is your standard breakfast spot. Nothing on menu here will blow you away. I have been here a bunch as it is one of the only breakfast places in Brighton center. The corned beef hash is pretty good here. The hash browns are nothing to write home about. The breakfast sandwich I had here was just ok. The coffee is usually terrible here. This place should have gotten a 2 star from me and yet it didn't and I seem to still come back to this place not sure what it is about this place that keeps me coming back. It is probably the location and the great service I get in here. Also the prices aren't to bad. Next I go back I will definitely be trying a donut as there seem to be a lot of positive reviews about them.
(3)Cas M.
I'm an iced coffee girl. When I looked on here and saw that Mirror had good iced coffee and wasn't Dunkin Donuts, I was there. When I ordered a large iced coffee for the second or third time, the girl behind the counter showed me the huge cup (Styrofoam isn't my favorite, but I reuse them if I can), and said "you know this is a large, right?" I said, "that's why I love it." They always have a full list of different coffees, and it's so great that all of the coffees are hot and iced. I was really happy that the coffee was strong, and it's refreshing to have "flavored" iced coffee that doesn't taste like sugary syrup. It's a great cup of iced coffee to bring with me to work and enjoy for the day. I've also gotten the apple turnover (one of my all-time favorite pastries), and the cinnamon scone. Both of which were really good. I have yet to try a donut, and I haven't been there for a real sit-down "meal," but what I have had, I have liked. I definitely support smaller places that have good iced coffee. The prices are good, all things considered, so for the same price as Dunks, I can get a better tasting cup of coffee. I'm in. So far, Cafe Mirror is treating me well.
(4)Becca C.
Only writing this review because I moved to New York and thought it wouldn't be so hard to find a chai tea latte that tastes as good as the one at Cafe Mirror. I was wrong. Still struggling to find a comparable drink. I miss it.
(4)Aly B.
I come here almost every weekend. It's great for basic breakfast foods if you are on the go or also if you want to sit down and eat. I would definitely recommend the iced coffee, donuts, and breakfast sandwiches. Their muffins aren't so awesome and neither are the home fries. Besides that everything I've tried here has been very good! You won't be impressed by the decor but the dependability, cheap prices, and fact that it never gets too crowded definitely makes up for it. I actually prefer this place over Jim's.
(4)Mike K.
Run of the mill breakfast place. We got some eggs, toast, OJ - the standard morning fare. The service was decent but the food was just average. About what you'd expect from a typical diner (although I don't think this place is a full blown diner). On the upside the prices were pretty reasonable but you do get what you pay for.
(3)Amanda L.
Cafe Mirror is not a diner. I don't know why people think it is. It's not. For one, there isn't the mandatory counter top with the swivel stools. There also isn't the mandatory bad coffee (what quality diner actually has GOOD coffee, really?). There's also too many servers. And the little fact that it has the word CAFE in it. This place is alright. Not one of my favorite places in Brighton center. I can probably list a handful of places I would rather go to than come to Cafe Mirror. That being said, my food was good, not great, and it didn't have the greasiness that good diners have (because it isn't a diner). I got chocolate chip pancakes, sausages, 2 egg whites and homefries. Homefires were bad, as usual, they were too seasoned. Sausages were tasty. My eggs were run of the mill. My pancakes were the best part. There were enough chocolate chips without it being over bearing. The coffee was great however. They serve New England Roast coffee. I got the iced Irish Cream. It's a little weird they don't let you put your own cream in (yet ANOTHER reason why this place isn't a diner), but whatever, it was delicious. They were served in takeout cups, which I don't really care about, but added to the not-diner feel. The staff here was nice, and apologized for the mini wait. But all in all, they were nice and accommodating. If I wanted to go to a REAL diner, then I would head over to Mandy & Joe's, or the Breakfast Club. I would definitely come back for the coffee though.
(3)todd f.
Great alternative to DD's in the morning. Coffee is better and so is the Sausage egg and cheese on a croissant. Bonus is, its also cheaper. And the donuts are bomb. Keep it simple and you will enjoy this place.
(4)Marty C.
Delicious and simple. It's my favorite breakfast place where I can have quiet moments to relax and get on with my day. Great staff.
(5)Adam G.
This place is a great stop for an inexpensive, quick breakfast. My girlfriend and I go here religiously (as it's close to where I live) and serves breakfast all day long... for those days where you, uh... wake up late. Basic breakfasts (nothing fancy) and for as simple as they are, they are satisfyingly decent. Coffee is pretty decent, especially for the price. And their large iced coffee comes in what looks like a freaking tub. It's gigantic! One of my favorite things to take out of the place on a hot summer day. And their staff is very friendly. Being that I'm a weekly occurance to them, they recognize me immediately and great me with a wonderful smile. Good stuff!
(4)Joey M.
I have a theroy. The reason that Cafe Mirror is name Cafe Mirror is because it is a mirror of Twin DO-nuts. The menu is creepily similar, the hash browns have way too much garlic, the prices are the same and the quality is the same.. decent but nothing to write home about (but apparently good enough to write on yelp about??). The only real difference is how far away it is from my house so it loses a star for convience. Really this place creeped me out when i went there. my roomate said they had pretty good chai tea though. take that into consideration!
(3)Lauren V.
Ummm...it's Twin Donuts' twin, how could I not like it? The same menu, the same great service, the same cheap prices. I used to be at one of these each weekend morning. (One weekend while traveling on business I remember feeling quite displeased at the fact that I was robbed of my Cafe Mirror breakfast.) Of course, the prospect of clogged arteries doesn't appeal to me so now I tend to make this an occasional event. One of the greatest thing about this place is the mix of people: the elderly (like, really old); the college students; the young professionals; the middle-aged couples. Yup. It's great. I have never seen a kid at this place AND everyone knows I do not heart seeing or hearing kids in the morning. So, bonus stars for that! Things to try: grilled cheese; breakfast combination number 3; the omelettes, pancakes and the BLT. Yummo. Stay away from: the home fries (gross), sides of bacon (unless you like it greasy and floppy) and occasionally, the iced tea (which sometimes has a fishy taste).
(3)Jameson M.
Typical diner food, nothing outstanding, but the coffee is pretty great. Sizes are GIANT, and they've got soy milk at no extra charge. Super cheap, very friendly.
(4)Kristen F.
This and Twin Donuts are my favorite diners to go to for breakfast... oddly enough, they're owned by the same people. The waitstaff is always so friendly (yet not too good on their English), and the food comes out fast. A great variety of baked goods, breakfast sandwichs, eggs, pancakes, etc... and their iced tea is awesome. Prices are very cheap as well. If you live in the area, don't miss out on this place!
(4)Paul F.
Love the donuts, very fluffy and light feeling.. love that frosted roll with the raisans on it. The donuts are a plus here, would not sit and eat here. Last year I was eating there and when I looked at the floor there was a ton of tiny ants on the floor.
(3)allison o.
doughnut. get one. you won't be sorry
(5)Shane K.
Ive been to cafe mirror twice and i was really surprised to discover its actually a nice cozy little place to relax and eat some simple cheap food! both times i went it was a sunday morning and we had to queue for 15 mins the second time just to get a table. when we finally did get one the staff were friendly and helpful and the food came out quick. its reasonably priced too. your not gonna get anything fancy but the breakfast sandwiches are made with real eggs , not the processed dunkin donuts crap, and the hash browns are fried to perfection. p.s. there always seems to be 2 crazy ladys sittin in there everytime i go in or walk by. just thought you'd want to know that.
(4)amber f.
So cheap. The breakfast sandwiches are very good. The coffee isn't very good. The service is fast. I've never had their baked goods but their donuts looked AWESOME. I've come here hungover and have walked out feeling like a million bucks.
(4)Mary L.
I've lived in the neighborhood for three years and finally visited this place in November for Sunday brunch. The food was okay, but the whole place was dirty -- our table, benches, and the bathroom. I was scared to think about the cleanliness of the kitchen...
(2)Matt S.
This is the least of the three Allston/Brighton restaurants managed by a Cambodian family (Brighton Cafe and Twin Donuts are the other two). I give it four stars because it's not at the level of the other two, but I still enjoy it. I confess I used to go in there because I nursed a little crush on the manager's daughter. But the manager herself was very sweet. The one thing I did NOT like on the menu was the pre-fab New England Coffee iced tea (this was 2007, and they'd just gotten the machine and switched from making it with a real bag). When I told her I didn't like the new iced tea, she made a fresh brewed cup for me, and when she had run out of lemons, she went across the street to Johnny's. I had never, not even at places where I was a regular and gotten treated very well, gotten that kind of order executed especially for me. I still haven't forgotten it, because it's the last as well as the first so far. A good place if you're in Brighton Center. But personally, I'd walk the twenty minutes down to Brighton Cafe. Whoever said the hashbrowns are frozen... shut up.
(4)Jon M.
Great breakfast and very affordable. Wide array of flavored coffee options and big, fresh pasteries. The dinning area is a little cramped early in the morning so I would recommend grabbing something to go. The service is lightning fast if your taking to go. In and out in under 5 min for under $5.
(4)Lauren R.
Cafe Mirror is just another reason why I enjoy living in Brighton Center. I actually put off checking it off for a while, because I thought it looked vaguely sketchy from the outside. I don't know why, but I was sketched out, although I was totally wrong to feel that way. It is a very average diner; their eggs, toast, bacon, pancakes, and breakfast sandwiches are all satisfyingly good. I really enjoy their hot chocolate (with or without whipped cream), and my friends have vouched for their coffee. They have the yellowest french toast I have ever seen...not really sure to make of that. The service is both speedy and friendly, which is always a big plus. You should come here for a casual, bare bones kind of diner experience; if you want to feel artsy or hipster-y, try Cafenation or Athan's instead. All in all, an inexpensive, friendly diner in the heart of Brighton Center.
(3)Travis D.
I am torn with this place because I know they make a solid breakfast but today I went with my roommate and we were famished and figured we swing by for a quick bite to eat. He got the chicken salad sandwich and I got a turkey club. These sandwiches were TINY! My "club" had maybe 4 pieces of turkey on it and i think the lettuce leaf was bigger then all the meat combined. His sandwich had a small scoop of chicken salad and he finished it in maybe 6 bites. We could went to better place and paid the same and got way bigger portions. Its a shame cause the place does a solid breakfast. Looks like Ill stick to the breakfast portion of the menu next time. Welp I gotta go make lunch part 2 cause im still hungry. - feast
(2)Noah H.
Initially planned to grab breakfast at Jim's Deli just down Washington, but the line was too long. Backtracked to Cafe Mirror, much to my regret. To say that the service was lackluster would be generous; from the time we sat down to the time we paid the check was a solid 110 minutes - for breakfast at noon on a Saturday in cafe/diner that was not all that busy. The good news is that at least as far as we could tell, there was no saliva, hair, or insects in our food. The eggs were decent, though not exactly hot. The bacon did appear to come from what was once a pig, though the flaccid fried pork product that ended up on our plate was barely warm and of low quality. The homefries were indeed spuds, but certainly not "homefries" in the sense of proper, diced or cubed potatoes fried in oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and other good stuff. We were served large chunks (potato quarters, basically) of undercooked tuber dusted with a hard-to-identify seasoning that tasted suspiciously like chicken-flavored ramen noodles. So the food itself was, at very best, mediocre, though the meal was incomplete due to the undelivered apple fritter. Why didn't I mention the waitress about the fritter, you ask? For the same reason I didn't ask about the coffees that took twenty minutes to arrive: we saw her a grand total of three times - the third time being when she delivered our silverware five minutes after bringing out our plates of food. The check didn't even come - I had to go to the cash register myself to ask for the check and to pay. This gets two thumbs-down from me - would have been better off waiting for Jim's Deli.
(1)Alison E.
When the weather is nice, my husband and I often walk down to Cafe Mirror on a weekend morning for tea and doughnuts. :) The doughnuts are really good, and the french toast and omelets are good, too. The potatoes are pretty fabulous. The prices are reasonable, and you can sit down and have waiter service or order at the counter and take some pastries with you. A nice feel if you miss Jersey diners!
(4)Mike D.
Years ago there were DDs that served good doughnuts (donuts)--bigger, fresher, and just better tasting than the ones that most of their stores sell now. I haven't found one of these locations in a long time and the ones I used to go to now all sell the crappy ones. So if I want an easy walk for Saturday doughnuts I now go to Cafe Mirror, where the doughnuts are decent (better than the Market St., Brighton Center, or Oak Square DD). If I really need to feed my inner doughnut beast I get on the bike (or in the car) and head over to Linda's in Belmont where the doughnuts kick ass.
(3)Jeffrey K.
This place is a great breakfast stop. Its a dingy breakfast joint with a tasty, cheap, quickly served breakfast. The waitstaff don't speak English too well but who cares? I highly recommend the extra large iced coffee with cream and sugar. I had to forsake it for weight loss but I hope to live vicariously through your reports of its deliciousness to my Yelp! account.
(4)S B.
Always so good! I think it's owned by the me people as Twin Donuts. You can tell by how fresh their pastries are and the DELICIOUS iced coffee. Always the best around. Their breakfast sandwiches are also really good - much better than a Dunkin Donuts. Fast, easy, cheap, and delicious. What more could you ask for in a breakfast place?
(4)Katia M.
Not a bad Sunday stop, although it's really small, so plan accordingly. The waitstaff was alternately attentive and distant, which was a little weird, but the pancakes were fluffy, and the prices were right. I didn't like that I couldn't "season" my own coffee, but that's just a personal thing anyway. Although I went in the most ridiculous outfit ever after going out to a club and crashing at my boyfriend's place the night before (read: skirt, heels, one of his button downs), no one really gave me a sideways look, so that was appreciated. I like the food at Mandy & Joe's down the street a little better, but this wasn't bad. Points for not putting butter on my pancakes, points off for not bringing out syrup until about five minutes after I got them.
(3)Q S.
Good place to grab a quick bite to eat. They have wireless, or so I heard. Everything's pretty average, but it's a quick stop.
(3)Sasha R.
I was transplanted to Philly for a few years for school. I think Boston is generally better, but there was one thing I think it lacks: good mom and pop diners. I think this place fits the bill, although the mom and pop are replaced by a friendly Asian family. The food is classic diner, especially for breakfast, just what you need, and the prices fall well below the city average. You can actually get an omelette for less than 7 bucks. They also make espresso, not bath water they usually tend to serve at diners. The only problem is they only open for breakfast and lunch, no late night eating.
(4)Sheena F.
Why go anywhere else for your standard diner breakfast and lunch menu? This is my favorite, by far. My girlfriend and I are pretty regulars; we're always greeted with a warm hello when we enter. The service can be spotty at times, but just prepare yourself to wait a few extra minutes if you go during a late morning on a weekend. But, that long line is there for a reason: great food and cheap prices! The coffee choices are amazing, my fave is iced Irish Cream. They have amazing, moist spinach feta croissants. Their egg sandwiches are delicious. I also highly recommend their grilled cheese and tomato with fries. They also have many choices for pancake flavors. The prices are really great, definitely lower than anywhwere else I've ever been. Cafe Mirror is the place to go!
(4)Nick M.
This place has pretty good iced coffee and the eggs and pancake specials are cheap and good for diner food. Plus, this place is in a ideal location right on the corner in Brighton Center.
(3)Jessie C.
Nothing there was fresh and barely anything uses original ingredients. The hashbrowns were those rectangular frozen ones you pick up at the grocery store, orange juice was minute maid, omelette was definitely not real eggs. It was cheap and fast but I will not be going back there.
(2)Anna S.
yummy donuts!
(4)Rebecca Y.
Great to grab coffee on the run or sit down for breakfast. Food is average and so are the prices. The great thing here - the coffee selection. Last time I was in, you could choose btwn plenty of flavors!
(3)Holly D.
So my very favorite place for brunch, the Grecian Diner on Harvard Ave burned down, as some of you may know, so this Sunday morning I went to Yelp to tell me where I should go. The food was cheap and fast. I had a great omelette! My only issue was the frozen hash browns ick. But I would recommend it and I will probably be returning until my place is up and running again!
(3)Kylie S.
The truly truly wonderful thing about Cafe Mirror is that they open at 5 am on weekdays and 7 am on weekends. As an involuntary early bird (I can not sleep in if I try) this place has saved me on many mornings when the cupboard was bare and I was ravenously hungry. They take credit cards, they are cheap, they make an egg and cheese on english muffin sandwich and they have donuts. And, they are friendly to boot. It's cozy inside and you can take your time. Granted, I would rather be eating free range eggs and organic everything--but when I am starving and I need to eat--this is the place.
(4)Daniel D.
5 stars for the bagels, 3 stars for the sit down breakfast. The restaurant is a lil dingy and the furniture old; the staff friendly but lacking experience. At peak breakfast/brunch hours, you can still get a table here while you'd be waiting at cafenation or jim's deli. dunno if that's a good thing... did i mention the amazing bagels?
(3)Astra G.
Big donuts that are freshly made each day...and also cheaper than the ubiquitous donut place we all know of... We tried a glazed cake donut and a raised jelly donut. Both were really good. Pro tip - Cafe Mirror still has donuts in the afternoon while Twin Donuts sells out before noon. Cafe Mirror in Brighton and Twin Donuts down the street in Allston are sister donut shops. We've spotted the same staff behind the counter at both places. ...So likely the same donuts. The coffee and tea are also good, can't speak for anything else. This place also has plenty of regulars who come to socialize, people who know everyone else's names. The staff are very friendly and sweet and make me want to become a regular.
(4)Michele H.
Cafe Mirror was delightful! The service was fast, the staff was friendly, and the place seemed welcoming. For an expensive city like Boston, it's hard to find a decent breakfast place with affordable prices. But this place was a breath of fresh air for the wallet. I paid $18 for a breakfast for 4 people. And it was delicious! The only reason Cafe Mirror is just shy of 5 stars would be the heat. It was a hot day, and it felt like it inside. However, I would definitely go again.
(4)Alexander R.
I live within walking distance of about fifteen places that offer take-out, but I go to this one pretty much every time, and am never disappointed. Sounds like five stars to me. How big is a large iced coffee? See for yourself:
(5)Chelsy P.
I come here almost every Sunday for a coffee and an omelette. I LOVE their food and their service. It isn't anything spectacularly different, but it's consistent, neatly cooked and the large coffee is literally bigger than my head. The pricing is perfect and the staff is attentive. I'd highly recommend if you're looking for a quick sit down and a satisfied stomach! ....Also, they have chalula hot sauce. How could you want anything more?
(5)Cherie C.
holy crap. This place offers breakfast all day. You can choose the size, and it's so cheap. Disturbingly, they offer a FOUR EGG breakfast. With toast and hashbrowns, it's just $4.50. I wonder if you get a niacin pill with that too? We just stopped in for donuts and coffee. Neither were great. Donuts come from elsewhere, I think. The coffee is fine, the 'masala chai' tasted like Oregon chai: not bad, but not great or unique. But we will be back for breakfast.
(3)Josh W.
Nice little local donut/coffee spot in Brighton. The donuts are tasty as is the coffee, and they have solid breakfast sandwiches as well. Great prices, the service is fast, and the staff is very nice. If you're looking for a great sit-down breakfast spot in the area, I'd probably choose Jim's deli or cafenation over mirror, but if you're looking for something quick and affordable (which is me most of the time), mirror is a great choice.
(4)Nancy H.
Small cafe in the middle of Cafe Mirror. No frills kind of establishment. Brighton Center has seen a lot of restaurant closings, but this corner breakfast place is still going strong. Got a lemon donut and a glazed one for $0.85 each. $4.50 for half a dozen and $8.00 for a dozen. The dough isn't as flavorful as other donuts I've had, there wasn't enough glaze on the glazed donut for my standard, but the lemony filling of the lemon was great. They seem to have plenty of breakfast offerings and getting combos seems a lot better deal than getting a stack of pancakes for 5 bucks. They have lots of condiments on the table from maple syrup to sriracha and jams to the usual salt and pepper. The place is getting old, with peeling walls and no AC, but it's clean enough.
(3)Anna E.
This is located in my boyfriend's old 'hood and we dropped by for breakfast Saturday morning around 11am after leaving Jim's Deli (one of favorite spots from when he lived here) when we decided not to wait in the huge line. We crossed the street eager to give this place a shot to fill our bellies before driving home to Connecticut. We had our reservations as there were hardly any other patrons in here while everywhere else in the area was packed with people, but we were hungry and hungover and still had several hours drive to get home so we decided to give it a shot. The place was empty when we arrived with the exception of one large group of people toward the back. Soon after our arrival, the place began to fill up but was never full. We both ordered standard breakfasts: two eggs, toast, homefries. I also decided to throw an apple cinnamon pancake into my order to get some sweet with the salty and boyfriend got breakfast sausage with his order. Over easy eggs were probably the best tasting thing on the breakfast menu, but not any better than what I make at home. Homefries, usually my favorite thing about breakfast, tasted precooked and reheated and doctored up with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Wheat toast was fine made with thin grocery sandwich bread. Apple cinnamon pancake was undercooked, doughy and tasted like it was made with a pancake box mix and the apples tasted like apple pie filling from a can. It's possible I ordered wrong. Someone at the door mentioned that the breakfast sandwiches are delicious here and I did see quite a few people order those. Also, I didn't get any doughnuts but what was available was mildly interesting. Iced coffee was fine, prices were low, and service was friendly. Don't live in the area though so it's unlikely I will be returning. Maybe go for the doughnuts or breakfast sandwich if you decide to try it. I can't really say I'd recommend what I got - especially the apple cinnamon pancakes...
(2)Corey C.
It's what you'd expect out of a small breakfast place. Pancakes were not fully cooked. Everything else was good
(3)Keith L.
This place, man. There was a spell during my time in Brighton when I went here something like every other Sunday for a solid 6 months. I went back recently and felt inspired to review. I usually describe this place to people as "OK", "alright" or "fine". The iced coffee is generally good, nothing fancy, but a step up from Dunkin Donuts or Honeydew type places. And if you get a large, it's like a gallon of coffee in a bucket (not a literal bucket, just a super giant styrofoam cup)! THIS IS A PLUS! I was a frequent buyer of the Combo #2, I think it was called. It had 2 eggs, toast, home fries, french toast, meat. The food is decent and comes out weirdly fast. I'm not sure how they can possibly whip all that food up so quickly.. the last time I was there, our order came out in something like 4 minutes after we ordered it. It makes me wonder if they keep lots of stuff ready-to-go like a school cafeteria or something. Based on the taste of the food, I can totally see that. Overall, totally fine as a place to go hang out and be served food if you don't want to leave Brighton center!
(3)Zoondy Z.
I love this quick little cafe. They are always friendly and get your order quick! I love to stop in on my way to work for a nice fresh cup of coffee and something sweetly handmade. They have a nice place but it could use an update I feel like it is almost that old diner feel but needs a tiny bit of a restoration. It's a nice place to go for breakfast on the weekends! !
(4)Lauren L.
It wasn't great. It wasn't bad. It was just a lot of borderline-mediocre food and drink served mostly in takeaway containers in a manner befitting a subway car and lacking in any kind of personality. The place is full of old-timers and loud-mouthed malcontents on weekends, or else I was just there at a bad time. The wait staff was short-handed; I know because they mentioned that part repeatedly behind the counter in English. Despite the ethnic bent of the ownership, the food was serviceable at best and certainly tasted like a basic breakfast. I had a cheese omelette with mushroom and sausage, while my associate had an egg-and-cheese-with-sausage on a croissant. Both were delivered in appropriate portions, satisfied our hunger appropriately, but left no fulfillment that comes with eating at a destination diner or a comfortable cafe. This place has nothing outstandingly wrong with it, but it lacks any charm or warmth. I wouldn't go back, simply because there are so many better places just under a block away.
(2)Karen P.
I've been going to Cafe Mirror for over 15 years. I've seen it change owners at least 4 times, but I always love the people who work here. This is one of the few places left where you can get flavored coffee that's NOT syruped. Their donuts are good and fresh. Support that locals not the chain! Tip: The family who owns Cafe Mirror also owns Brighton Cafe (on Washington and Comm, which is where I think they make their donuts) and Twin Donuts. Last time I went to Brighton Cafe their medium ice coffee about $.25 cheaper... weird, but true. It's been awhile since I've been to that location...
(5)Joanna M.
Simple but good breakfast. We both got omelets and coffee. Pancakes were so-so. Omelet however were big and filling. For the price you can't go wrong!
(4)Kyle O.
This place is not very good. I asked for a breakfast sandwich and they served it to me on a sesame burger bun. A ham egg and cheese on a sesame burger bun. It was terrible. The donut I had was stale as well. Stay away.
(1)Ed Y.
I came across this restaurant while looking for another and decided to try it. I had a western and a side of irish sausages. I would say the food is nothing special like Charlies Sandwich Shoppe but still worth coming back too. The atmosphere is comfortable, I like nostalgic and greasy spoon feel and Mirror Cafe has that kind of feeling. The wait staff are fast, friendly and helpful. One of my pet peeves is having to wait forever for my check, that didn't happen here. Parking is plentiful, free and metered. I would recommend Mirror Cafe to anyone who wants a basic reasonable breakfast. One surprise is that they are affiliated with Twin Donuts which is just up the street. So if your looking for dessert or something sweet after breakfast, fresh homemade pastries and donuts are available. Anyone who has eaten at Twin Donuts can attest to the quality of their donuts, better than Dunkin and Honeydews.
(4)Maggie L.
I used to live just a short walk away, and Cafe Mirror was my go to for three things: iced coffee, egg and cheese on an English muffin, and donuts. The donuts are huge and tasty. My favorite was the simple glazed. I would only indulge once a month, tops, but oh my that was always a great day. The iced coffees are larger than any human being would ever need, and for some reason I would always go for the biggest size which did not even fit in my car's cup holder. Rolling out of bed on a Sunday morning, slightly hungover, and walking to Cafe Mirror to order this breakfast trifecta is easily one of my favorite memories of this neighborhood. The regular breakfast is totally fine. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's good for the price. They sell other baked goods that are pretty decent, service is fast, and the staff is always friendly.
(4)Anthony L.
No wait.. quick service... Food is not great
(2)Duncan P.
I only get breakfast sandies here but it's my go-to spot. Never too busy, service is fast and the food is cheap and really decent. I get a sausage egg and chee on an onion bagel every time, I don't even have to order it anymore when I walk in, they just know. I like how they don't use the microwave to cook the eggs, they already have over-medium flat-top cooked eggs ready. Honestly I've never bothered to try anything else. Oh wait I had a cruller once and it was good.
(4)William S.
This would be a 2-star review if it weren't for one thing: the donuts. Light, airy, and sweet - they are a welcome change to the leaden circles we have all grown accustomed to. The rest of the baked goods (muffins, filled croissants, etc.) are quite good and decently priced, but the glazed donuts steal the show. That said, the coffee is awful. I drink it black and it's far too diluted. I tried it again on a different day in case it was a fluke but I'm sad to say that it's just bad. Essentially a cup of brown water. I can only assume this is to target the average patron you find there, who tend to be a bit older. The atmosphere is somewhat spartan, but can be a welcome change from the modern artsy cafe motif.
(3)Ankit N.
There is something very peaceful about this place. It might have to do with the fact that they usually operate in broad daylight and close before the night sets in. I know it sounds a little far fetched but I always get good vibes when I'm here for breakfast.. Or perhaps the place simply acts as a mirror to our inside, and I would consider myself a peaceful person. As far as the food goes, the eggs (over easy if you ask me) are great and prices are alright. Bread + eggs + juice = approx $6.40. Totally recommend. And there are really nice for Chinese restaurant managers around Boston.
(5)Bobby L.
The banana pancakes are f'ing amazing, def a great spot for breakfast & hangovers
(4)Jen S.
Ate there for lunch today because Cafenation was PACKED and for some reason the door to Jim's was locked even though people were inside- maybe a private function? Anyway, we were VERY reluctant to come in because I've gotten donuts from here before and they were pretty tasteless (kind of burnt tasting on the outside, too). I got a cheesteak sub with mushrooms, onions and swiss cheese (I freaking hate American cheese by the way, I am sure you care) and my husband got a mushroom/swiss burger (we have identical DNA likings for swiss/mushrooms on red meat, but we're not 12th cousins once removed like Prince William and Kate are). I REALLY ENJOYED IT! It wasn't NEARLY as greasy as other cheesesteaks are, and the sub roll was nicely toasted. My hub enjoyed his mushroom swiss burger. It was actually swiss cheese not some cheese in a can type of sauce like some other "swiss cheeses" taste at other places (cough cough Lily's Gourmet Pasta and Subs cough cough) The fries weren't THAT great- somewhat bland. They have BOTH Pepsi and Coke products, which is an amazing plus- I didn't have to get Pepsi. I hate Pepsi as much as I hate American cheese (though I would drink Pepsi and not die, but would die if I had to ingest American cheese- what the hell were the creators of Kraft Singles and Velveeta and CHEESE WIZ thinking?) My hub thought he saw a hair in the water though, so he drank the other half of my 20 oz coke. Waitress was really sweet and attentive. I'd go back, only if Jim's and Cafenation were unavailable again!
(3)Matt S.
If you are thinking about grabbing breakfast at Dunkin Donuts down the street you should think about making the very short walk over to Cafe Mirror. The foods is definitely much higher quality and the price is about the same as Dunkin Donuts. I had a bacon egg croissant, donut, and ice coffee. The breakfast sandwich was made with a fresh cracked egg and bacon the was made perfectly. The donut was fresh and had a little crunch from the homemade batter. I highly recommend taking some time to check out Cafe Mirror.
(4)Brian W.
My wife likes this place a lot more than I do, but overall it is a good option for breakfast, especially if there is a long line at Jim's deli. The Korean owners have always been extremely friendly, recognizing us as we walk in and going out of their way to say hello to us. If you have any fears of the quality of Korean omelets, have no fear because the dude in the kitchen looks like the exact greasy bearded white dude that you'd want cooking up your breakfast. The home fries appear to be gluten-free so that's a bonus for the wife. The butternut donuts are delicious, but they leave that nice ring of grease on the little paper plate that reminds you not to order them next time you come.
(3)Alison P.
This place is classic breakfast joint. I has that awkward kind of "did that used to be dunks" decor, random stuff was still that pink and teal color from the 80s. Really good people watching from the front windows, not to mention students in the am. Fun! They have good pastries, and even better egg on bagel with some kinda meat sandwiches. They did such a better job on those than I expected, and I can be fussy with my eggs. Whenever we went for breakfast it was fast service, and a casual bring your check to the counter and bounce out. Staff was friendly, accommodating. I'd still be break feasting there if I lived in the area.
(3)Lauren M.
Mmmm Irish Creme Iced Coffee.
(5)Laura D.
I secretly LOVE this place. I don't know what it is. Maybe the really tacky decor, the steamy hot conditions or the really sweet girl who always greats me with a smile but it is a good deal. Their breakfast sandwiches are the best in Brighton. Made with real egg and real bacon it is so good. The best thing is there large coffee. A large iced is 2.90 and is literally almost a half gallon. I love it. So good. I am not a donut person when my best friend was in town we went for breakfast and she said they where amazing. I trust her judgement. I recently have been going less often, after all bagel breakfast sandwiches and large coffees are not going to make me look any better in a wedding dress. This is just a case of don't judge a book by its cover. They also recently got wifi, but really this is not a place to hang out.
(5)Mike K.
I love this place. They give you tons of food at great prices and it's all delicious, particularly the french toast. It's definitely nothing fancy, but it's a good solid breakfast. I always get the chai latte because it has real strips of ginger in it. Service is crazy speedy, even when the restaurant is packed, and the wait staff is wonderful. The crumb donut, which is called something else I think, is so moist and flavorful. If I just want a diner breakfast, this is my favorite place in Brighton Center.
(5)Alexandria S.
My favorite local breakfast shop, right in Brighton center. They serve breakfast all day. So cheap and affordable. They have everything from egg sandwich's to sandwiches. I suggest getting a flavored iced coffee, They are huge! And they put them in a "to go" cup to take with you.
(4)Island Boy B.
The Mirror is good. The owners are friendly, the food is cheap and the coffee is great. I had to stop going there because I was eating too many butternut and coconut donuts. Support the local guy if you are a donuts and coffee fan. Its a great cheap eats place if you need to cure a Saturday night hangover. I only give it 4 stars because sometimes they mess up the orders. I think its more of a communication thing, but they always remedy the situation right away. Their coffee club is a great deal and well worth it. Free stuff is always good.
(4)